Just some bits and bobs

This is a Google Map, overlaying the routes and station locations of Manchester’s Metrolink tram system on an actual map, rather than the rather random schematic diagrams regularly used by TfGM. The point being that if you know where a place is, and want to know how close the Metrolink goes, the diagram is not very helpful since it gives no clue as to the directions the lines take in reality. For a better designed graphic style Metrolink map I would suggest the far clearer one here, which also has the decency to give some consideration to the points of the compass.

The overlay below shows the current lines and the lines due to open in the future. You can click on the lines or stations for further details. Please note that not all lines are current – several are still in the proposal or development stages – click the line to check its status!

Please leave any comments or questions below, and if you wish to see the map directly in Google Maps it can be found here (the linked version also includes a complete alphabetic list of stations linked to the map).

Bill Bowdren says:

Tony says:

Great stuff, thanks for publishing this.
I’ll be visiting Manchester for two days, arriving on Sunday night.
I looked on the Metrolink website which to be fair was excellent at providing me with a journey planner from Manchester Piccadilly to Salford Quays. So far so good!
Then I noticed that link to engineering works taking place this weekend 29/30 October.
Looking in there it is telling me which lines are subject to closures, but it is not apparent to a non-local visitor which lines are which!
As for the TGM map layout I think you get what you pay for in this world and if you give the job to the Saturday boy then you should not be surprised if you get a result which lacks real world usefulness……
Maybe someone thought they should make it look something like the London Underground map which although a design icon (Apparently!) is about as much use as a chocolate teapot to visitors when it comes to geographically locating underground stations in relation to real world locations.

admin says:

Thanks Tony, glad it was useful and I hope you enjoy your visit to Manchester. I was in Salford Quays on Wednesday, and it’s looking pretty impressive with the new developments (plus I’ve been a fan of Booths supermarkets for a while and now we have the Manchester branch over there!).

To be fair, I quite like the tube map, and I feel that if a system has reached that level of complexity then a simplified, easy to use schematic diagram is of great value. But the Metrolink is far less complicated than the tube, and anyway, if you do want a schematic diagram it’s possible to make a far clearer one, like the project mapping one I’ve linked to above.

Adie says:

admin says:

You’re very welcome to the KML file. First, link through to the version on Google Maps itself, which has now been “upgraded” to the new maps engine format (which I am not a fan of). In the info-panel you should see some share icons. Presently the right-most one is the three linked dots (“ShareThis” icon) and clicking it will give you a download kml option. Of course the KML can easily be converted to KMZ.

James says:

I have just imported the downloadable dataset into my own (offline) mapping system. Although it will require some work to suit my particular purposes, your work has saved me many days (perhaps weeks) of effort. Thank you so much.